Device for externally cleaning oil well casings and pipes



June 29, 1954 J. J. HARRIGAN 2,682,068

DEVICE FOR EXTERNALLY CLEANING OIL WELL CASINGS AND PIPES Filed Nov. 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JOHN J. HARRIGAN June 29, 1954 J. J. HARRIGAN DEVICE FOR EXTERNALLY CLEANING OIL WELL CASING-S AND PIPES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 3, 1950 INVENTOR. JOHN J. HARRIGAN Y Patented June 29, 1954 DEVICE FOR EXTERNALLY CLEANING OIL WELL CASINGS AND PIPES John J. Harrigan, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application November 3, 1950, Serial No. 193,922

8 Claims.

This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in power-driven devices for externally cleaning oil well casings and pipes and, more particularly, cleaning devices adapted for use in cleaning an oil-well casing as it is withdrawn from the drill hole in the process of well drilling operations.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a power-driven pipe cleaning device which is capable of cleaning the exterior surfaces of an oil-well casing as the casing is being removed from the drill hole.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pipe cleaning brush of the type stated which may be readily employed with existing well drilling tools and equipment and can be readily adapted for installation upon power-driven pipe tongs or other similar pipe handling equipment ordinarily found at the location of well drilling operations.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a pipe cleaning brush which is simple and economical in construction and is rugged and durable in operation, so that it can be readily used under a wide variety of field conditions without requiring extraordinary training or skill on the part of the operator.

invention resides in the novel features of form, 4.

construction, arrangement, and combination'of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a top plan view, partly broken away and in section, of a rotary casing brush constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a rotary casing brush;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure l is a perspective view of the brush element forming a part of the present invention;

Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views showing the stabilizing rollers in operative and retracted positions, respectively;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line l-l of Figure 6;

Figures 8 and 9 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 8-8 and 99, respectively, of Figure 1; and

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the rotary tool equipped with a pipe gripping chuck by which it may be adapted for use as a pipe tong.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate practical embodiments of the present invention, A designates a. power-driven pipe brushing tool comprising an outer shell or casing I formed by two horizontally spaced parallel plates 3, Al, peripherally secured together by walls 5, 6, and together extending radially outwardly in the provision of an elongated handle-like member 7. The arcuate side wall 5 is provided with an eye ring 8 which may be used for suspension of the device from a hook or other suitable instrumentality for manipulation into and out of position for actual use. Similarly, the other end of the handle 1 is provided with an eye-forming ring 9 which will serve also to provide means by which hooks or other manipulative elements may be attached to the tool A.

The housing I is provided in diametrally 0pposed relation to the handle 7 with a radially inwardly extending slot or throat it which is enlarged at its inner end to provide a concentric opening ll. Journaled at their upper and lower ends and extending vertically between the upper and lower plates 3, i, and disposed in spaced annular relation around the inside of the housing I is a plurality of bearing spools l2 having diametrally enlarged, vertically spaced collars, l3, 53', which bear against the outer periphery of a ring gear [4! provided midway of its vertical height with a diametrally enlarged tooth section i5 which extends between the upper and lower collars l3, E3, of the spools E2. The ring gear M is provided with a radially inwardly extending slot H5 similar in size and shape to the slot Ill. The slot it is enlarged in its inner end to provide a circular opening ll substantially the same size as the circular concentric opening in the housing I. It will thus be evident that when the ring gear It is brought to rest, so that the slot i8 is aligned with the slot H) of the housing", it is possible to push the tool A around a section of pipe or casing, such as the casing shown at C in Figures 1 and 2, without uncouping or disconnecting the casing, whereupon subsequent rotation of the ring gear i l will enclose the pipe or casing C within the tool A.

Also journaled at its upper and lower ends in and extending between the plates 3, l, is a driving gear it which projects upwardly through the housing I and is connected to any suitable prime mover, such as the conventional air motor N as shown in Figure 2. It will, of course, be understood that a belt drive, connecting the gear It to an electric motor, or a conventional flexible shaft, connecting the gear I8 to any other source of power, may also be used, it being immaterial, so far as the present invention is concerned, what type of power may be used to drive the gear I8.

Also journaled vertically within the housing I; in arcuately spaced relationshipto the gear it and preferably equidistant on opposite sides thereof, are two idler gears l9, 59, said idler gears being mounted in slide blocks zfi-"whioh are shiftably biased by means of springs 2| away from the gear It for purposes presently more fully appearing. the gear [8 and the idler gears I9, I 9, is an endless roller chain 22 which is in tight httting engagementwith the teeth of the ring'gear I4 along the rearwardly presented segment, as shown in Figure 1. It will be noted in this connection that the position of the idler gears l 9, It, with respect to the gear [8 is such that the chain 22 will embracethe teeth of the ring gear i l along approximately 45 of the arc and in any'case a substantially greater distance than the width of the slot I5. Furthermore, the tension of the chain 22 against the teeth of the ring gear I l will be maintained by the springs 2i which bias outwardly the slide blocks 29 in which the idler gears I9, I9, are mounted.

It will thus be seen that when the gear I8 is rotated by the air motor N, the chain will revolve the ring gear is and a sufiicient number of teeth will be engaged at all times so thatthe gap caused by the slot. I6 willbe spanned and there will be no interruption in uniform application of driving power. Similarly, the slot 16 is somewhat'smaller than the distance between any two adjacent spools, so that at all times during rotation the ring gear 54 will be held in true circular concentricity by engagement with allof the spools [2 or at least all spools I2 but one. In other words, the ring gear I is always held by at least seven out of the eight spools 12- shown;

The ring gear M- is internally contoured to provide a pair of inwardly protruding toothlike enlargements 23, 24, located on opposite sides of and adjacent to the slot it and a radially-outwardly extending enlarged V-shaped recess into which may he slipped a correspondingly shaped removable collar or chuck 2B, the latter having a radially outwardly extending slot or mouth 27 adapted for coincident alignment with the slot It and a concentric enlarged opening 28 capable of freely embracing, but not engaging, a section of casing C. Mounted preferably at 60 intervals around the lower face of the collar or chuck 26 are depending L-shaped elements 29 which integrally include a horizontal flange 3i"! and a vertical leg 3i. The horizontal flange S9 or each element 253 is provided with a pair of elongated apertures through which attachment bolts 32 may be inserted, thus provi ing for a limited degree of radial adjustment. The vertical leg members 3! are provided upon their inwardly presented faces with a plurality of bristles 33 in the formation of brushes b, which are adapted to impinge against the casing C and scour the mud, clay, and other undesirable material therefrom as the pipe or casing C is pulled upwardly out of the well hole.

isposed encirclingly' around The chuck 26 is substantially thicker than the housing I and projects upwardly therefrom so as to be accessible to the operator. In such upwardly projecting position, the chuck 2B is provided with three radial recesses 34 located at 60 intervals from. each other and in vertical alignment with the brushes 1). Each recess 34 is concentrically drilled in its bottom wall to provide an aperture iifi'opening upon the outer or exposed faceof the chuck 26 for slidably supporting the rod-like shank 36 of a plunger 3i formed integrally therewith and slidably fitting within the recess 84. At its forward end, the plunger is horizontally slotted for receiving a bearing roller 38 operatively held in place by a pin 39. Similarly, the outwardly projecting end of 'theforward two shanks 36, that is to say, the shanks 38 which are located on opposite sides of the throat iii, are slotted for receiving camheaded handles iii which bear against the outer face of the chuck Disposed encirclingly about each shank 3'6 within the recesses. fi l are springs A l for resiliently urging the plungers radially inwardly into the pipe-embracingcentral opening 28. On the two shanks Eli-which are provided with handles 48, the latter serve as limit-stops for the spring-biased action of the plungers 3'5 and the other shank 35, which is directly opposite the slot 2'5, is provided witha movement-limiting cotter-pin 42.

The chuck 25 is finally provided with a safetylink 43 permanently pivoted on one side of the slot 2? for optional disposition closurewlse across the slot 27 and being provided at its free end with an aperture is for receiving a wing-screw 44 which is removably threaded into the upper face of the chuck 28 on the other side of the slot 21.

When the device A is placed around a section of pipe 0, the safety-link s3 is swung. back out of closure-forming position and the handles 49 rocked outwardly to retract the rollers 38. The ring gear [4 is rotated to line up the throat! and slot 2'! and the device A pushed axially around the pipe C, so that the latter is located more or less centrally within the opening 28 of the chuck 25 against the rear roller 38. The handles til are then swung back and theother rollers 38 broug t to bear against the pipe G. Since the springs M are substantially equal in strength, they will balance each other and hold the device A in substantially concentric alignment with the pipe C. The safety-link 43.may then be swung across the slot El and secured in closed position by the wing screw 44.

It is, of course, understood that as the pipe or casing C is pulled upwardly, the air motor is operatively driven so as to rotate the brushes 1) either in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, as may be desired, and at any desired speed so as to produce a highly eflicient and thorough cleaning action.

If desired, the collar or chuck 25 may readily be removed and a conventional toggle-acting tong element i l may be substituted therefor, whereupon the device may be used as a power-driven tong for coupling and uncoupling the casing. This feature is particularly convenient since it is possible with a single tool to clean a section of casing as it is being withdrawn and then, by simple replacement of chuck elements, use the tool for coupling and uncoupling the casing, as may be desired.

It should also be noted in this connection that chucks substantially similar to, they above. de.-.

scribed chuck 25, equipped with suitable brushing elements, may be designed to fit existing types of power-driven well tongs and may be substituted for the pipe gripping elements commonly used therewith.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the power-driven pipe cleaning devices may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A pipe cleaning and brushing tool comprising a housing, power-driven means operatively mounted in the housing, a ring gear operatively connected to the power-driven means for rotation thereby, said housing and ring gear having axially aligned concentric openings therein to provide a common passageway axially through the housing and ring gear, said housing further being provided with a radial slot extending from its outer periphery inwardly and opening into the concentric opening thereof, said ring gear also having a radial slot adapted for registration with the slot of the housing when the ring gear is brought to rest in alignment with the slot of the housing so that the ring gear and housing can be moved radially around a continuous length of pipe to bring the pipe into concentric alignment with the central openings of the ring gear and housing Without disconnecting the pipe or threading it therethrough, a tubular chuck secured to and mounted co-axially in the ring gear, said chuck having a radial slot aligned with the radial slot of the ring gear for clearing the pipe to be cleaned, said chuck further being provided at spaced intervals around its circumference with radially shiftable members, spring means for biasing said members inwardly, manually operable means associated with said members for optionally holding them in outwardly shifted position, a roller rotatably mounted on the inner end of each of said members for bearing against the pipe to be cleaned, and a plurality of brushes mounted upon and extending axially downwardly from the chuck, said brushes having bristles presented radially inwardly for contactive engagement with the pipe when the latter is in operative position within the housing, said brushes being adapted for rotative movement axially around the pipe upon rotation of the ring gear.

2. A pipe cleaning and. brushing tool comprising a housing, power-driven means operatively mounted in the housing, a ring gear operatively connected to the power-driven means for rotation thereby, said housing and ring gear having axially aligned concentric openings therein to provide a common passageway axially through the housing and ring gear, said housing further being provided with a radial slot extending from its outer periphery inwardly and opening into the concentric opening thereof, said ring gear also having a radial slot adapted for registration with the slot of the housing when the ring gear is brought to rest in alignment with the slot of the housing so that the ring gear and housing can be moved radially around a continuous length of pipe to bring the pipe into concentric align-- ment with the central openings of the ring gear and housing without disconnecting the pipe or threading it therethrough, a tubular chuck secured to and mounted co-axially in the ring gear,

said chuck having a radial slot aligned with the radial slot of the ring gear for clearing the pipe to be cleaned, said chuck further being provided at spaced intervals around its circumference with radially shiftable members, spring means for biasing said members inwardly, manually operable means associated with said members for optionally holding them in outwardly shifted position, a roller rotatably mounted on the inner end of each of said members for hearing against the pipe to be cleaned, and a plurality of brushes mounted upon and extending axially downwardly from the chuck, said brushes having bristles presented radially inwardly for contactive engagement with the pipe when the latter is in operative position within the housing, said brushes being adapted for rotative movement axially around the pipe upon rotation of the ring gear and each being in longitudinal alignment respectively with one of the rollers.

3. A pipe cleaning and brushing tool comprising a housing, power-driven means operatively mounted in the housing, a ring gear operatively connected to the power-driven means for rotation thereby, said housing and ring gear having axially aligned concentric openings therein to provide a common passageway axially through the housing and ring gear, said housing further being provided with a radial slot extending from its outer periphery inwardly and opening into the concentric opening thereof, said ring gear also having a radial slot adapted for registration with the slot of the housing when the ring gear is brought to rest in alignment with the slot of the housing so that the ring gear and housing can be moved radially around a continuous length of pipe to bring the pipe into concentric alignment with the central openings of the ring gear and housing without disconnecting the pipe or threading it therethrough, a tubular chuck secured to and mounted co-axially in the ring gear, said chuck having a radial slot aligned with the radial slot of the ring gear for clearing the pipe to be cleaned, said chuck further being provided at spaced intervals around its circumference with radially shiftable members, spring means for biasing said members inwardly, manually operable means associated with said members for optionally holding them in outwardly shifted position, a roller rotatably mounted on the inner end of each of said members for bearing against the pipe to be cleaned, a plurality of brushes mounted at uniformly spaced intervals upon the chuck adjacent to the concentric opening thereof and having radially inwardly presented bristles for contactive engagement with the pipe when the latter is in operative position within the tool, and a toggle-acting latch pivotally mounted on the housing adjacent the radial slot and being adapted optionally to swing closurewise theraacross.

4. A pipe cleaning and brushing tool comprising a housing, power-driven means operatively mounted in the housing, a ring gear operatively connected to the power-driven means for rotation thereby, said housing and ring gear having axially aligned concentric openings therein to provide a common passageway axially through the housing and ring gear, said housing further being provided with a radial slot extending from its outer periphery inwardly and opening into the concentric opening thereof, said ring gear also having a radial slot adapted for registration with the slot of the housing when the ring gear is brought to rest in alignment with the slot of the :housing so that the ringsgear and housing-can be .:moved radially around a continuous length of pipe to bring the pipe into 'concentric'alignment with the central openings of the ring gear and housing without disconnecting the pipe or threadring it therethrough, a tubular chuck secured to and mounted co-axially in the ring gear, said -chuckhaving a-radial slot aligned with the radial slot of the ring gear for clearing the pipe to be cleaned, said chuck further being provided at spaced intervals around its circumference with radially shiftable members, spring means for biasing said members inwardly, manually operable :means associated with said member-s for optionally holding them in outwardly shifted position, a roller rotatably mounted on the inner end-of each of said members for bearing against the pipe to be cleaned, a plurality of brushes :mounted at uniformly spaced intervals'upon the chuck adjacent to the concentric opening thereof and having radially'inwardly presented bristles for contacti-ve engagement with the pipe when the latter is in operative position within t e tool, and a toggle-acting latch pivotally mounted on the housing adjacent the radial slot and being adapted optionally to swing closurewise thereacross, said brushes being adapted for limited radial adiustmentinwardly and outwardly toward the xconcentric opening of the ring gear.

5. Apipe cleaning'and brushing tool comprising a housing, power-driven means operatively mounted in the housing, a ring gear having an outwardly presented peripheral set of teeth and a'bearing face disposed in spaced relation to the 'set of teeth, a plurality of rollers operatively mounted atspaced intervals around 'the interior of the housing for engagement against the bearing face of the ring gear, a pair of sprockets operatively mounted in the housing, a continuous sprocket chain operatively trained around the sprocketsand operatively connected to the power- :driven means for rotation thereby, said chain being 'engaged'along a portion'of its length between said'sprockets with a portion of the teeth 'in the ring gear, said, housing and ring gear having axially aligned concentric openings therein to provide a common passageway axially through the housing and ring gear, said housing further being'provided with a radial slot extending from its outer periphery inwardly and opening into the concentric opening thereof, said slots being located substantially on the opposite side of the housing with respect to the location of the sprocket chain, said'ring-gear'also having aradial ,slot adapted for registration with the slot of :the housing when the ring gear is brought to rest in alignment with the slot of the housing so that the ring gear and housing can be moved iadially around a continuous length of pipe to bring the pipe into concentric alignment with the central openings of the ring gear and housing without disconnecting the pipe or threading it therethrough, a chuck removably mounted in the ring gear and having a radial slot extending inwardly and terminating in an enlarged central opening concentric with openings of the ring gear and housing, and a plurality of axially ex tending brushes carried by the chuck and having bristles presented radially inwardly for contactive engagement with the pipe when the latter is in operative position within the housing, said brushes being adapted for rotative movement axially aroundthe pipe upon rotation of the ring gear.

6. A pipe cleaningand brushing .tool comprising a housing, power-driven means operatively mounted in the housing, a ring .gear having outwardly presented peripheralset of teethand-a bearingiacedisposed in spaced-relation to the set of teeth, a plurality of rollers operativelymounted at spaced intervals around the interior of the housing for engagement'against the bearing faceof the ring gear, a pair of sprockets operatively mounted in the housing, a continuous sprocket chain operatively trained around the sprockets and operatively connected to the :powerdriven means :for rotation thereby, said chain being engaged along a portion of its length between said sprockets with a portion-of the teeth in the ring-gear, saidihousing and ringgear having axially aligned concentric openings therein to provide a common passageway axially through the housing and ring gear, said housing further being provided with-a radial slot extending from its outer periphery inwardly and opening into the concentric opening thereof, said-slots being located. substantially on the oppositeside of the housing with respect to the location of the sprocket chain, said ring gear also having airadial slot adapted for registration with the slot of the housing when the ring gear is brought to rest in alignment with the slot of the housing so that the ring gear and housing can be moved radially around a continuous length of pipe to bring the pipe into concentric alignment with the central openings of the ring gear and housing without disconnecting the pipe or threading it therethrough, a chuck removably mounted in the ring gear and having a radial slotextending inwardly and terminating in an enlarged central opening concentric with openings of the ring gear .and housing, a plurality of axially extending brushes carried by the chuckiand having bristles presented radially inwardly for contactive engagement with the pipe when the latter is in operative position within the housing, said brushes being adapted for rotative movement axially around the pipe upon rotation of the ring gear, and a plurality of rollers carried by the chuck for stabilizing engagement with the pipe during rotation of the chuck.

'7. A pipe cleaning and brushing tool comprising a housing, power-driven means operatively mounted in the housing, a ring gear having an outwardly presented peripheral set of teeth and a bearing face disposed in spaced relation to the set of teeth, a plurality of rollers operatively mounted at spaced intervals around the interior of the housing for engagement against the hearing face of the ring gear, a pair of sprockets operatively mounted in the housing, a continuous sprocket chain operatively trained around the sprockets and operatively connected to the powerdriven means for rotation thereby, said chain being engaged along a portion of its length between said sprockets with a portion of the teeth in the ring gear, said housing and ring gear :having axially aligned concentric openings therein to provide a commonpassageway axially through the housing and ring gear, said housing further being provided with a radial slot extending from its outer periphery inwardly and opening into the concentric opening thereof, said slots being located substantially on the opposite side of the housing with respect to the location of the sprocket chain,'said ring gearalso having a-radial slot adapted for registration with the slot of the housing when the ring gear :is brought to rest in alignment with the .slot of the housing .so that the ring .gear rand housing can :be moved radially around a continuous length of pipe to bring the pipe into concentric alignment with the central openings of the ring gear and housing Without disconnecting the pipe or threading it therethrough, a chuck removably mounted in the ring gear and having a radial slot extending inwardly and terminating in an enlarged central opening concentric with openings of the ring gear and housing, a plurality of axially extending brushes carried by the chuck and having bristles presented radially inwardly for contactive engagement with the pipe when the latter is in operative position within the housing, said brushes being adapted for rotative movement axially around the pipe upon rotation of the ring gear, and a plurality of spring-pressed rollers carried by the chuck for stabilizing engagement with the pipe during rotation of the chuck.

8. A pipe cleaning and brushing tool comprising a housing, power-driven means operatively mounted in the housing, a ring gear having an outwardly presented peripheral set of teeth and a bearing face disposed in spaced relation to the set of teeth, a plurality of rollers operatively mounted at spaced intervals around the interior of the housing for engagement against the bearing face of the ring gear, a pair of sprockets operatively mounted in the housing, a continuous sprocket chain operatively trained around the sprockets and operatively connected to the power driven means for rotation thereby, said chain being engaged along a portion of its length between said sprockets with a portion of the teeth in the ring gear, said housing and ring gear having axially aligned concentric openings therein to provide a common passageway axially through the housing and ring gear, said housing further being provided with a radial slot extending from its outer periphery inwardly and opening into the concentric opening thereof, said slots being 4 located substantially on the opposite side of the housing with respect to the location of the sprocket chain, said ring gear also having a radial slot adapted for registration with the slot of the housing when the ring gear is brought to rest in alignment with the slot of the housing so that the ring gear and housing can be moved radially around a continuous length of pipe to bring the pipe into concentric alignment with the central openings of the ring gear and housing Without disconnecting the pipe or threading it therethrough, a chuck removably mounted in the ring gear and having a radial slot extending inwardly and terminating in an enlarged central opening concentric with openings of the ring gear and housing, a plurality of axially extending brushes carried by the chuck and having bristles presented radially inwardly for contactive engagement with the pipe when the latter is in operative position within the housing, said brushes being adapted for rotative movement axially around the pipe upon rotation of the ring gear, a plurality of spring-pressed rollers carried by the chuck for stabilizing engagement with the pipe during rotation of the chuck, and means associated with at least some of the rollers for optionally withdrawing them from operative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,056,403 Crane Mar. 18, 1913 1,692,985 Gallison Nov. 27, 1928 1,740,663 McManis Dec. 24, 1929 1,815,573 McManis July 21, 1931 1,821,352 McManis Sept. 1, 1931 2,064,577 Thayer Dec. 15, 1936 2,556,116 Smith June 5, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,834 Netherlands Oct. 1, 1919 

